BENNY'S PLAN B 1957

KIDS AND A MOTHER AND A PLAN B IN LONDON IN 1957

Lydia sat
on the red
painted tile doorstep
waiting to see
if Benny
would come along

she breathed heavily
angry and frustrated
her mother had just
told her that she(Lydia)
and Benny could not
go to Edinburgh
or Southend by train
as they had wished

she had tried to explain
to her mother the plan
but her mother
wasn't having it
in fact she had bellowed
NO NO NO so loud
that her big sister Gloria
was disturbed drunkenly
in the bed
she shared with Lydia

she watched the milkman
pull up in his
horse drawn wagon
and take out 2 bottles of milk
and walked with them
across the way
and put them on
the doorstep
then walked back

the horse was eating
from a nosebag

Lydia sat
a few more minutes
if Benny hadn't showed
she'd go and find him
and tell him the bad news

the man with the boxer dog
walked past
doffed his cap
and smiled
then walked on

then she saw Benny
galloping(on his pretend horse)
up from the slope
and into the Square

she stared at him
then waved him over

he galloped towards her
she felt angry and tearful
Benny rode up
to the red
painted tile doorstep

what's up?
he said smiling

we can't go
she said pouting

can't go where?
he said
his horse vanishing
into thin air

can't go to Edinburgh
or Southend by train
she said

who said?
he said

my mum said
no no no
but louder
Lydia said

Benny sat on the doorstep
beside her

she said at 9
we were too young
Lydia said
looking at him
her lower lip
pouting more

I'll have a word
with her
Benny said
turning around
to stare
at the front door

won't make
any difference
she said no
Lydia said

persuasion can
sometimes work
Benny said
my mum said if
you want something
bad enough
you must
like that Scottish king bloke
try and try again

you can try I suppose
Lydia said

they got up
from the step
and Benny knocked
on the front door
and they waited

the door opened
(after a few minutes)
and Lydia's mother
stood there
hair in a scarf
and a cigarette
hanging from the corner
of her mouth
and arms folded

why'd you knocked
the door?
she said to Lydia
you bloomin live here

I knocked
Benny said

what do you
want then?
the mother said

we want to go
to Southend
Benny said
we are willing
to forgo Edinburgh
until later
but Southend is a must
for us as a sort
of a trial run

the mother stared
at him coldly

I've told her
now I'm telling you
you're too young to go
anywhere at 9 years old
so the answer
is the same
NO
she bellowed
and slammed
the door shut

Benny stared
at the door

Lydia sat down again
and stared at the milkman
walking his horse along
to the next block of flats

plan B
the Benny said

plan B?
Lydia said
what's that?

we go anyway
but say nothing
to them
he said
arms folded
a determined look
about his face

do we dare?
she said

of course
Benny said
working the plan b out
inside his
9 year old head.